Cutting Some Slack

Isles split back-to-back games in Florida

Just when you thought the Islanders were falling back to the mat, they rattle off a very impressive week with two wins over the Lightning and a huge win over the Avalanche as well. Oh and Calum Ritchie is scoring highlight reel goals! Old friend Tony Stabile steps in for Arthur Staple to co-host with Sean, but Arthur does call in to check in with the guys and talk the latest on the Isles! Sean to cover the homestand and whether the Islanders can brave the latest storm.

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

There’s an old truism in hockey — every game is big, every point is precious, every night carries weight. And most of the time, that’s true.

The Eastern Conference is so tight you need a blowtorch and a crowbar to separate the standings. Lose two in a row, and you feel buried. Win two, and you feel invincible. But every once in a while, a game sneaks onto the schedule that feels like house money. And if we’re being honest — and fans usually are, if not always rational — Sunday night in Sunrise had that feeling from puck drop.

So, we’ll cut the injury-ridden Isles some slack. And here’s why.

The three wins before it weren’t just wins. They were the kind of wins that shift mood, shift belief, shift expectation. The Islanders didn’t just beat good teams; they beat a very good team twice, and a great one resoundingly. They didn’t just steady themselves; they catapulted back into relevance. Those were bonus miles on the season’s odometer, the kind of victories you circle as turning points.

So when the Isles arrived in Florida to face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions on the backend of a back-to-back, it felt like whatever happened next would be gravy. Ice cream on top of an already decadent sundae.